There is a story...over 3000 years old...it's a true story!
The Book of Ruth is a unique story because it is about...everyday and ordinary people. The value of the story of Ruth is beneficial to us...even today!
I find the life of Ruth interesting because of the perseverance she exemplified...witnessing the loss of life and sadness...yet the desire within her heart to know...the Lord God of Israel.
It is not clear who wrote the Book of Ruth, some conclude a scribe wrote this after the death of King David, because of the Scripture in Psalm 4:18-22 that writes of the genealogy of Ruth's family...including King David...with the natural ancestry leading to...our Lord...the Lord Jesus!
A Gleaning of Ruth...chapter 1
" Before the country of Israel was ruled by kings, a time when judges were appointed throughout the land..there was a man...his name was Elimelech....
Elimelech was an Israelite from the tribe of Ephrath, and lived in Bethlehem of Judah. There was a severe famine in the area of Bethlehem, and Elimelech (his name meaning "My God and King") had thought it best to move his family away from Bethlehem including his wife Naomi ( her name meaning "pleasant") and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. He chose to move to Moab, a country located on the opposite side of the Dead Sea from Bethlehem.
It wasn't too long after Elimelech and his family had moved to Moab that an unfortunate occurrence happened...Elimelech passed away. As a result, Naomi, his wife, and his 2 sons Mahlon and Chilion were left and remained in Moab.
It turns out both of Naomi's sons took Moabite women as wives, the first being a woman named Orpah, the second being a woman named...Ruth.
Naomi and her family continued to live in Moab for approximately 10 years, and then another unfortunate occurrence happened: Both of Naomi's sons, Mahlon and Chilion...passed away. Now, Naomi was left with only her 2 daughter-n-laws, Orpah and Ruth, for neither Mahlon or Chilion had any children.
One day after the death of her sons, Naomi "gathered herself together", and heard the drought had ended in the Bethlehem area, the news was out of good crops and plentiful harvests had returned to the land of Naomi's origin. Naomi then decided to return to the land of her roots, and invited both her daughter-n-laws Orpah and Ruth to join her. So the journey began...
But, soon after they started on the road to Judah, Naomi thought to herself and spoke to Orpah and Ruth saying: " Listen, why don't you return to your families and live among your own people...and worship the gods you grew up with. I give you my blessing: "May the God I worship treat you kindly, just as both of you have treated my own husband and my sons...giving to you the love and kindness you haven given to all of us...and may He bless you with new husbands and wonderful homes."
Then, Naomi kissed them, and there was much crying among all 3 of them. Yet, Orpah and Ruth replied to Naomi: " No!...we will return to Bethlehem...with you!"
Naomi objected! She spoke firmly to them and said: " No, you need to go back to your own people my lovely dear daughters!
You see, it is obvious I am just too old to marry again. Even if I was to marry this very night, and bore two sons, you both would have to wait for many years before my sons would be old enough to marry....and that would be crazy! Besides, my life has become "one bitter pill", and life has become more miserable which you have witnessed. The Lord God I serve has dealt me a hard blow, and it seems He has raised His fist against me."
After Naomi spoke this, there again was much crying...even crying with loud voices. The one daughter-n-law, Orpah, kissed Naomi...and said good-bye. But Ruth...she simply held tight to Naomi...
Naomi then spoke to Ruth and said: " Look, Orpah is returning to her own...and to the gods they worship. Ruth,...you need to do the same!"
Then Ruth spoke up and said: " Naomi, don't force me to leave you! Don't ask or require me to return to my family's home...or to worship their gods! Wherever you go...I want to go as well...wherever you choose to live...I want to live there as well! Here is my heart's desire...your people shall be my people...your God shall be my God! And my dear mother, wherever you die, I wish to be buried there as well. May the Lord God punish me severely if I choose any other way other than to remain with you!"
When Naomi heard the determination coming out of Ruth's voice...she said no more.
Naomi and Ruth continued on their journey to Bethlehem, and when they arrived...the entire village were excited by their arrival. Women who lived in Bethlehem ran out and greeted them, saying to Naomi: " Naomi...this is too good to be true! Is this really you?!! Our Naomi has returned!"
Naomi then responded to the joyous cries of her arrival and said: " No longer do I want to called Naomi (meaning pleasant)...instead call me "Mara" (meaning bitter). For I left Bethlehem full of life, yet I return with nothing but the clothes on my back. The Strong One...has brought much tragedy to my life...and I suffer from His "blows".
And so Naomi and Ruth returned safely to Bethlehem...Naomi bitter from the "blows of God", and Ruth...the young Moabite girl...desiring to know this God that Naomi serves.
They arrived in late spring...the Harvest of the Barley...had just begun!....
The Book of Ruth is a unique story because it is about...everyday and ordinary people. The value of the story of Ruth is beneficial to us...even today!
I find the life of Ruth interesting because of the perseverance she exemplified...witnessing the loss of life and sadness...yet the desire within her heart to know...the Lord God of Israel.
It is not clear who wrote the Book of Ruth, some conclude a scribe wrote this after the death of King David, because of the Scripture in Psalm 4:18-22 that writes of the genealogy of Ruth's family...including King David...with the natural ancestry leading to...our Lord...the Lord Jesus!
A Gleaning of Ruth...chapter 1
" Before the country of Israel was ruled by kings, a time when judges were appointed throughout the land..there was a man...his name was Elimelech....
Elimelech was an Israelite from the tribe of Ephrath, and lived in Bethlehem of Judah. There was a severe famine in the area of Bethlehem, and Elimelech (his name meaning "My God and King") had thought it best to move his family away from Bethlehem including his wife Naomi ( her name meaning "pleasant") and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. He chose to move to Moab, a country located on the opposite side of the Dead Sea from Bethlehem.
It wasn't too long after Elimelech and his family had moved to Moab that an unfortunate occurrence happened...Elimelech passed away. As a result, Naomi, his wife, and his 2 sons Mahlon and Chilion were left and remained in Moab.
It turns out both of Naomi's sons took Moabite women as wives, the first being a woman named Orpah, the second being a woman named...Ruth.
Naomi and her family continued to live in Moab for approximately 10 years, and then another unfortunate occurrence happened: Both of Naomi's sons, Mahlon and Chilion...passed away. Now, Naomi was left with only her 2 daughter-n-laws, Orpah and Ruth, for neither Mahlon or Chilion had any children.
But, soon after they started on the road to Judah, Naomi thought to herself and spoke to Orpah and Ruth saying: " Listen, why don't you return to your families and live among your own people...and worship the gods you grew up with. I give you my blessing: "May the God I worship treat you kindly, just as both of you have treated my own husband and my sons...giving to you the love and kindness you haven given to all of us...and may He bless you with new husbands and wonderful homes."
Then, Naomi kissed them, and there was much crying among all 3 of them. Yet, Orpah and Ruth replied to Naomi: " No!...we will return to Bethlehem...with you!"
Naomi objected! She spoke firmly to them and said: " No, you need to go back to your own people my lovely dear daughters!
You see, it is obvious I am just too old to marry again. Even if I was to marry this very night, and bore two sons, you both would have to wait for many years before my sons would be old enough to marry....and that would be crazy! Besides, my life has become "one bitter pill", and life has become more miserable which you have witnessed. The Lord God I serve has dealt me a hard blow, and it seems He has raised His fist against me."
After Naomi spoke this, there again was much crying...even crying with loud voices. The one daughter-n-law, Orpah, kissed Naomi...and said good-bye. But Ruth...she simply held tight to Naomi...
Naomi then spoke to Ruth and said: " Look, Orpah is returning to her own...and to the gods they worship. Ruth,...you need to do the same!"
Then Ruth spoke up and said: " Naomi, don't force me to leave you! Don't ask or require me to return to my family's home...or to worship their gods! Wherever you go...I want to go as well...wherever you choose to live...I want to live there as well! Here is my heart's desire...your people shall be my people...your God shall be my God! And my dear mother, wherever you die, I wish to be buried there as well. May the Lord God punish me severely if I choose any other way other than to remain with you!"
When Naomi heard the determination coming out of Ruth's voice...she said no more.
Naomi and Ruth continued on their journey to Bethlehem, and when they arrived...the entire village were excited by their arrival. Women who lived in Bethlehem ran out and greeted them, saying to Naomi: " Naomi...this is too good to be true! Is this really you?!! Our Naomi has returned!"
Naomi then responded to the joyous cries of her arrival and said: " No longer do I want to called Naomi (meaning pleasant)...instead call me "Mara" (meaning bitter). For I left Bethlehem full of life, yet I return with nothing but the clothes on my back. The Strong One...has brought much tragedy to my life...and I suffer from His "blows".
They arrived in late spring...the Harvest of the Barley...had just begun!....
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